Six Sacks of coffee
by fi3fi3
Summary: Jacks bored, Iantos shopping, Gwens eating. Then Torchwood 4 appears, but its not what they expected. Set after Exit Wounds. Some Janto - although not as much as I would have liked. Now complete. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - Hello lovely people. Just a little somthing I came up with, Not finished yet. Enjoy!**

* * *

Jack was bored. There was nothing (and no one) to do. Ianto was out stocking up on coffee and food for the little kitchen in the hub. Gwen had taken the afternoon off and was having a romantic dinner with Rhys.

Jack wondered around aimlessly looking for something, anything, to fiddle with and take his mind off the complete emptiness of the base. He wasn't used to being alone, not since he and Ianto spent every night together, either at the hub or at Iantos flat. Jack considered doing something he hadn't done in years – going out and just talking to someone, not flirting (well maybe a little), just talking. But he didn't want to do that. He just wanted his Ianto back, or for something exciting to happen, or both.

* * *

Gwen, for once, wasn't thinking about Torchwood. She was content to just sit, eat her meal, and spend some quality time with her wonderful husband.

She remembered the last time her and Rhys had had a posh dinner out. It had gone fine until they, and several hundred other people, had witnessed Jack streaking across the road, waving his gun wildly, in hot pursuit of three giggling, giant teapots with legs.

Well, tonight wasn't going to be like that. She would make sure of it.

* * *

Ianto was walking back towards his Tourist Information shop front. He held in his left hand a bag filled with tinned food, biscuits, soap, toilet paper, oranges and Jacks weekly can of whipped cream. In his right hand he held another bag, overflowing and straining under the weight of the six large sacks of coffee beans. It would last them the weekend before sending Ianto out for more.

Ianto, upon reaching the entrance, tapped in the security code with difficulty and the door clicked open. He stepped in to find himself staring at an unexpected situation.

And it was pointing a gun at him.

* * *

'Jack, could you come up here a minute.' Iantos beautiful welsh voice rang out across the hub from the loudspeakers mounted on the wall. 'Please, Jack, I… um… I need to show you something.'

Jack was immediately suspicious, Ianto never said 'um' over the speakers. He always planned what he wanted to say carefully – sometimes even writing it out beforehand, so it sounded professional. Everyone found it funny, usually.

Jack grabbed his gun and made his way up. What he saw made his stomach do a back flip. He had been right to be suspicious.

What he saw was Ianto, kneeling on the floor, hands cuffed behind his back and a gun held to his head by a young, sexy, teenage girl dressed in beige combats and a tight white t-shirt.

Ianto looked up as Jack entered the room and their eyes met briefly and a look of complete love and trust was passed between them.

Jack looked up at the girl, 'Who the hell are you, where are you from and why are you threatening Ianto?'

The girl smiled at Jack, 'I'm Torchwood four and, effectively, your boss so you'd better do as I say, and this sexy young thing…'she ran a hand through Iantos hair, '…is to make sure that you do.'

Jack wished he was still bored.

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**A/N - Cyber Cupcakes for Reviews! I don't know how to finish this story, any ideas? If you want to suggest a way it can continue please send me a message :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Twenty minutes later, Gwen had arrived after being called in by a very worried sounding Jack. They were all gathered in the boardroom, Jack and Gwen on one side of the table, looking across to where the girl, or 'Deena' as she had announced, sat calmly yet alert, one hand holding onto Iantos arm possessively, the other within easy reach of her gun which was lying, waiting in her lap. She knew, and so did everyone else (even if they denied it), Deena was in control.

And Jack wasn't helping the situation in the slightest. He was sitting, slumped in his chair, staring at Deena, trying to intimidate her. It wasn't working.

'So, down to business!' smiled Deena, unfazed by Jacks stony gaze upon her, 'you have an artefact in your archives, stored away, forgotten…'

Ianto snorted, he knew nothing was forgotten in his archives.

'…and I want it. Give it to me and I'll leave you alone. It's simple Captain.' She gave a winning smile, not unlike Jacks, Ianto noted.

'What artefact?' Gwen had taken over Jacks part in the conversation as she knew he was preoccupied and wouldn't respond. He never did when he was being immature. '… and why would you want it anyway, if it's forgotten?'

'I'm afraid I'm not authorised to release that information, orders from my superiors.'

'Superiors?'

'Yes, I _work_ for Torchwood Four. I'm not in charge.'

'Ok, so let me get this straight…' Jack leaped to his feet, surprising everyone except Deena who seemed used to it, '…There's a secret organisation that outranks us somewhere in this country, and it employs children?' He spat out this last word as if the idea of it was dirty.

'Yes, well, not exactly.' Deena enjoyed being secretive around the Captain, she had read up on him back home and knew how to annoy him. She also knew when to stop – he could be a little too fond of his gun on occasion.

'Torchwood Four is located in your future.'

* * *

Five hours later, from what Gwen could understand, they had discovered several things: Torchwood Four was located in the 31st century; it employed children as they were suspected less when undercover; Deena wanted an artefact that had now been identified, but no one knew what it did; she was in contact with her 'superiors' who were listening from 1000 years in the future (however that worked) and she had brought some sort of hostage bubble that meant that no one could go within one meter of Ianto, and he couldn't stray more than two meters away from Deena.

Jack was not pleased.

* * *

As the days wore on, a routine developed between them. Deena would try and persuade Jack to give her the artefact (Ianto had named it Frodo as he said it resembled the Ring from Lord of the Rings although no one else could see the resemblance) and Jack would always refuse before demanding to know what it was. Deena slept in the hub, but sleeping arrangements were made tricky by the fact that Ianto was still limited as to where he could move.

Apart from that, life at Torchwood Three continued as normal. Except that Ianto couldn't go out on fieldwork as Jack would not let Deena out of the hub. Jack could see that being housebound irritated the Welshman but there was nothing he could do, he couldn't even reach out and give Ianto a hug, tell him everything was going to be alright, protect him.

This bizarre routine changed after about ten days, Deena marched into Jacks office, dragging Ianto behind her, and announced that she had received a message from her superiors. She looked both excited and terrified at the thought of a professional Torchwood Four negotiator arriving tomorrow.

Deena told Jack all about them and he listened in silence. None of the fear he was slowly filling up with showed on his face. Not yet.

The next morning they all assembled in the main area of the hub to await the arrival of this negotiator. No one was talking, it was so quiet it seemed though no one was even breathing.

The clock struck ten and they watched as a beam of light descended from the ceiling and begun to rearrange itself into the shape of a human. As the light faded away the onlookers saw the figure arriving from the future.

None of the fear Jack felt inside showed on his face. Not yet.

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**A/N - Please review, may be a few days before I uplaod the next chapter - major writers block!! Have fun xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - Sorry it took a while. Heres the next chapter, Enjoy!! Thanks for all the lovely reviews.**

**(The flashback is from the Doctor Who episode 'Boom Town' just so you know) I still don't own anything :(**

**Enjoy.**

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As the figure was revealed to the audience gathered around the hub the words he spoke reverberated in the vast space and at an alarming volume.

BLAIDD DRWG.

Jack had heard those words before and if this man knew them… it was bad.

**Flashback**

'_How'd you think of the name?'_

'_What Blaidd Drwg? It's welsh.'_

'_I no but how'd you think of it?'_

'_I chose it at random that's all, I dunno, just sounded good. Does it matter?'_

'_Blaidd Drwg.'_

_What's it mean?'_

'_Bad Wolf.'_

'_But I've heard that before, Bad Wolf, I've heard that lots of times.'_

'_Everywhere we go, two words, following us. Bad Wolf.'_

**End Flashback**

* * *

Half an hour later, the negotiator (Basham) had taken over completely, Ianto had been locked in the vaults, Gwen had been knocked out and Jack had been killed three times, once trying to prevent Basham dragging Ianto off by his hair, once trying to break him out of the cell that had been given extra protection and once trying to sneak up and disable Basham from behind.

After he woke up (again), Jack and Basham had reached a stalemate.

'How did you know those words?'

'Give me the artefact.'

'How did you know them?'

'Give it to me.'

Eventually, it came down to Gwen, after recovering, to make peace. Sort of. She had organised that a civilised meeting was to be held in the boardroom where both parties could argue in a controlled and reasonably safe environment. It worked for five minutes before Jack started yelling abuse at Basham and Deena and ended up getting shot in the head leaving a nasty blood stain on the wall.

* * *

Deena was apparently talking to herself, but she knew she was being listened to. 'They're arguing again. It's been 27 hours of non-stop arguing. Basham isn't talking to me, I think he blames me for mucking up my mission. I spoke to HQ earlier, back in the future, they don't blame me, and they said that had they known how stubborn the Captain was going to be then they would have sent Basham straight away. Anyway, he told me some of his plans for if the Captain doesn't give in soon, I hope he does, for both our sakes, I really am sorry.'

Gwen was trying, and failing, to keep the peace. _They've been arguing for flipping ages. I cant keep intervening, Jack doesn't like it and every time I speak, Basham looks as if he is going to kill me. So I left them to it, there is a stack of paperwork on my desk and I might as well get it done while I can. I've popped down to see Ianto a couple of times, he seems ok, although a little depressed. I think he's missing Jack more than anything. It can't be nice, stuck in a small, dirty room with nothing to do. Unfortunately, Basham's increased security around his cell so we can't open it, we cant even pass thing through the little holes, some sort of force field I think. Poor Ianto. Deena's been acting a little strange too, although that's only to be expected with friends like Basham appearing out of nowhere. I think she looks up to him although I don't know why. Anyway, back to the paperwork. If it's not done Ianto will kill me, if he survives._

Ianto was bored. He could here distant sounds of fighting coming from somewhere above him. The boardroom he suspected. He missed coffee, he missed all the neatly arranged files in the archives, and he missed Jack. _Jack please come, please I need you to save me Jack. Please._

* * *

Jack had been keeping a mental record of the 'debate'. 27 hours, 5 cups of coffee, 38 deaths. Still he'd survived worse. Hopefully it wouldn't go on for much longer. He wanted his Ianto back, safe.

It wasn't until the clock showed that the arguing had continued for a total of 29 hours 37 minutes that Basham decided to take it up a notch and force Jack to give in.

'Ok pretty boy, here's the deal. You have twenty minutes to give me what I want, or I'll start hurting the teaboy, and if need be, I wont hesitate to kill him, right in front of you.'

With that Basham got up and left the room with Deena scurrying along behind.

Jack had twenty minutes alone in the boardroom to make a decision. He couldn't risk giving them some unknown alien artefact that could possibly harm the existence of the future of the human race. But he couldn't lose Ianto.

It was a long twenty minutes and the fear that he had masked so well came out in a flood of tears as he struggled to make one of the hardest decisions of his long, long life.

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**A/N - Please dont kill me fellow Ianto fans! I love him too but I still don't know how this is going to end. Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - Thanks for all the lovely reviews, they keep me going! I had writers block so this chapter may not be very good, see what you think. Enjoy!**

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Jack stood stock still, tears running down his face, in silent vigil listening to the agonised screams of his lover. Two hours, this terrible sound had echoed around the hub, but that was only since Ianto had cracked.

He'd held up well against Bashams torture, smiling or coming back with witty remarks to the threats being chucked his way. In despair, Jack had watched as the larger man slowly and steadily broke Ianto, both mentally and physically.

_I hope I've made the right decision, I stand here watching as the man I love is tortured, violated, and the worst thing is that I know that it's in my power to stop it. If I give them what they want, I could be putting the whole world in danger, I don't even know what the artefact does. Although it breaks my heart, I know that Ianto wouldn't want me to risk so many peoples lives just for him. So I watch and I try to be there for him, although he seems to be in so much pain, I don't think he notices_

* * *

Deena watched too. She greatly admired Basham and how efficiently he workedwith so much skill, she knew that he had started out in Torchwood Four just like her, a lonesome teen with a violent streak and a thirst for danger. She looked at what he had achieved, and at how hard he had worked to become the best in his field and she wished that, one day, she could be as committed and successful as him. There was just one problem.

_I can't let this get in the way. Torchwood Four is my life, it's all of my past and my future. It's all I've worked for and it's all I've ever wanted, until now. I mustn't let my feelings get in the way. Basham said that later he might let me have a go at hurting the pretty boy. Imagine it! Wouldn't it be just the most wonderful thing for my career? I must think of the future, not just right now. So, back to work._

* * *

'Hello?'

'Rhys, hi, how're you?'

'Gwen, sweetie, I'm fine but how're you? You haven't come home in three days, I tried calling but I couldn't reach your mobile. What's going on?'

'I just wanted to say that I'm fine don't worry about me and I'll try and be home soon.'

'Gwen, what's all that screaming in the background? Has someone been hurt?'

'_Sob…_Look Rhys, I have _sob _to go, I'll tell you later. _Sniff._'

'Take care sweetie ok?'

'Bye'

* * *

Basham was enjoying himself, a lot, and he'd only just got started. Just the thought of a once strong man pleading and breaking down made Basham feel happy, as if he'd achieved something remarkable and wonderful. And that's exactly what he'd got. Sure he was under orders to bring back the artefact as quickly as possible, but hopefully the Captain wouldn't give in too soon and he could continue doing what he loved for a while longer.

_

* * *

_

Jack's there, he's always there, watching. I tried to tell him I was ok but I couldn't seem to speak. I can see the pain he feels and I wish it wasn't my fault. He's right not to give in, despite what happens to me, I'm not important. Still, I wish it wasn't left to jack to make this choice. Especially so soon after Tosh and Owen. I know I won't survive this, not unless a miracle happens.

_Bye Jack, I love you. But of course, jack can't hear me. I will die alone._

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**A/N - Press the review button, you know you want to!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N - sorry its been a while, I've just been so busy. This chapters quite short sorry but I only had an hour to write it in.**

**I dont own any of this.**

**Enjoy!**

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_

Three days. Three long days. 36 hours and 42 minutes.

Jack had not, despites Gwen's protests, eaten or drunk anything, he hadn't even moved from the spot in the vaults. His eyes hadn't left Iantos bruised and bloodied face the whole time even though Ianto had no strength left to meet his gaze.

Basham was getting fed up, the Captain wasn't cracking. He'd used some of his most effective techniques on the (now-not-so) pretty teaboy. He'd even let Deena have a go. She'd relished in the challenge, producing some of the most satisfyingly high-pitched screams that had rung in the Captains ears for hours and that would haunt him in his dreams for years to come.

* * *

It was nearing the end of the fourth day of constant torture, almost no-one ever held up this well, and Basham knew what he had to do.

'Captain, you've had your chance, but you know it's not too late, give me what I want in the next 10 minutes or I will kill the whelp. Your choice.'

* * *

Jack sat holding tight to the battered hand of his lover.

'5 minutes Ianto, our last 5 minutes together. I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry Ianto but I cant give them what they want. I can't save you.'

Jack broke down, sobbing over Iantos fragile form.

'It's ok Jack.' Iantos voice was husky and forced, only just a whisper. 'I know … you did all you could. I don't blame you. You've saved me so many times before. Jack – I love you.'

Tears fell gently down both their faces, merging into one stream that trickled to the floor.

'Ianto, I love you too – goodbye.'

* * *

Basham had gone for an old fashioned murder, or maybe he'd been reading the Torchwood files and decided to cruelly replicate a unforgettable situation. Ianto was kneeling on the floor in front of him, a cleaver being held against his throat.

Gwen was hiding her face behind Jack as they waited for a miracle.

'Stop, Basam, this has gone far enough, you can't kill him.'

Everyone looked round as Deena came crashing into the room.

'And why not?' Demanded Basham, furious that his moment had been interrupted.

'Because I love him.'

And promptly, both Basham and Deena disappeared.

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**A/N - oooooowww whats going on there????? You'll probably find out in the next chapter. (Reviews make me write faster hint hint) ;)**

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	6. Chapter 6

**__**

A/N - Hello everyone - sorry for the delay and sorry for the shortness of this chapter. Thanks for all the lovely reviews

I don't own Torchwood (sadly)

Enjoy

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_**Deenas POV**_

_Basham is going to kill him._

_Up until now I've been able to separate my work from the rest of my life and recently my work has been brilliant, the experience wonderful for my career._

_But I love him, I realised just as I left his cell that time. Basham had let me practice my skills and so I didn't hold back – I made the pretty boy squirm and shriek. As I left I met his gaze, just for a second, and his pleading eyes filled with sorrow and despair. _

_That's when I realised I loved him._

_So I have to act, I have to save him. From what I've heard from others about love, it's when you care about someone no matter what and you protect them, even if you have to make a sacrifice._

_I stand outside the door, listening to Basham inside preparing to kill an innocent man, and at the last minute, I burst in._

'_Stop Basham' I shout 'This has gone far enough – you can't kill him.'_

'_And why not?' I can feel Bashams anger radiating from him – filling the room._

'_Because I love him.'_

_I activate the divice in my hand and send us both home, Basham and me._

_I died that night – but it was worth it – to save the life of the person I love._

* * *

As soon as everyone had registered that Iantos captor had gone, they hastened to free him. Ianto had fainted when Basham and Deena disappeared and Jack dropped down to the floor and pulled him onto his lap, wrapping his arms around him and whispering that he was safe now. Gwen was busy cleaning the worst of his wounds and so didn't notice the tears sliding silently running down Jacks cheeks.

Together, they brought Ianto carefully up to the main part of the hub and laid him gently in the autopsy bay. Jack kept hold of Iantos hand and, after what seemed an age, he woke up.

_

* * *

_

I'ts at times like this I need Owen back

thought Jack as he struggled to keep Ianto down as his nightmare raged.

Ianto had been healing well over the last few weeks though he had slept most of it and Jack wished he could say it had been a peaceful slumber.

Martha had come as soon as she could after Jack had called her on that day. When she saw Ianto she had been so shocked and upset yet the doctor in her took over and she fussed over him, making him well. But she wasn't a psychologist, and Ianto had been badly traumatised by the experience.

The time ahead was going to be tough – for everyone.

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**A/N - Its up to you lovely people - in the next chapter do you want Ianto to trust and be happy with Jack or is he too damaged by his experiences? Please review and tell me what you would like to happen.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N - Hello everyone, another short chapter (sorry) but I've been swamped recently. I don't own Torchwood. Enjoy!**

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It had been a month since the 'special' guests in the hub had departed.

Ianto's physical injuries had been healing well. All that remained as evidence of his traumatic experience was a broken arm, set in a cast as it mended, and when he 'stopped'. Or at least that was what everyone called it.

Every so often, usually about three times a day, Ianto would freeze and he would forget what he was doing, he would forget the world existed. He would slump to the floor and curl up, shutting out the world that, to him, didn't exist.

It broke Jack's heart to see his lover so vulnerable and upset. But he had to see it, because Jack was the only one who could 'start' Ianto again, even though it grew harder to wake him each time.

Jack sat in his office doing paperwork (that should have been completed months ago) when Gwen burst in. Jack was used to it as over the past month Gwen (or Martha when she'd temporarily visited from UNIT) had often run announcing that 'Ianto had stopped again'. Although, this time, the message was different.

'Jack, it's Ianto, He's stopped but it's different. Jack I'm scared.'

Jack jumped up 'Where is he?'

'In the kitchen.'

Jack ran out of his office towards the little kitchen in the hub. And froze, momentarily, in the doorway at the sight that greeted him.

Ianto was lying in the middle of the floor, moaning and shaking, tears running from his eyes that had become lifeless and staring.

When Jack had taken a moment to absorb the situation, he ran and knelt down next to the trembling form of his lover. He placed his arms around Ianto, enveloping him and drawing him in closer. Ianto reacted to Jacks touch, screaming and kicking out and Jack jumped back in alarm, stunned that the person he was so close to didn't seem to know him anymore.

In the end, after both Jack and Gwen had tried (and failed) to calm Ianto, all they could do was sit and wait for him to stop himself. And he did, after about half an hour (although it seemed like an age to Jack) Ianto fell into a peaceful sleep, the first peaceful sleep he'd had in weeks.

* * *

Between his attacks Ianto was perfectly normal. A little worse for wear but nevertheless alright. He and Jack had identified the artefact that Torchwood Four were so eager to get their hands on when Deena was there on her own so there was no need to find it now. Although Ianto had surprised everyone by announcing that he already knew what it did and he had done for some time.

'It's an invisibility device' He had stated 'It says in the files that you hold it in your hand and you reach out your mind to connect with it, and it…'

'Makes you invisible.' Jack had finished his sentence for him.

'Is that why you said it was like something from Lord of the Rings?' Asked Gwen, obviously wanting to be part of the conversation.

'Yes well, it is like the Ring in a way.'

'I wonder what Torchwood Four wanted it for.' Asked Jack suddenly as if the thought had only just occurred to him, although everyone was thinking it. 'They wanted it so much they were willing to kill for it.'

'Maybe Basham was just a bit mad.' Suggested Gwen though it didn't escape her notice when Ianto flinched at the name.

'Maybe…' said Jack breathing out heavily 'but I guess we'll never know.'

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**A/N - Sorry for the annoying ending. There will probably be only one more chapter to round things off.**

**Until next time... (reviews keep me going between chapters hint hint)**


	8. Epilogue

**A/N - Just a teeny tiny chapter to finish off the story and i'm very sorry if i've left any plotholes or mysteries.**

**I don't own Torchwood (which is really very sad)**

**Anyway - enough from me - Enjoy xxx**

* * *

Ianto did recover, eventually. But it took a while. And all the time Jack stayed close by to help his lover who he hated to see suffering.

It had been a slow healing process – Jack considered. After Ianto's fits stopped, it was a matter of waiting before the nightmares faded away completely.

* * *

Only after Ianto was back to his old self (and remained that way for a month), Jack did what he had thought about in all those long night hours spent at Ianto's side.

It was his fault, all his fault. Sure, Ianto had forgiven him – said it was all part of the job, Jack had done the right thing and how he'd go through it again in a heartbeat – but Jack couldn't forgive himself. Not for what he'd done – stood and watched his lover being tortured, and not made a move to stop it.

And that's why Jack promised himself four things (and he kept his promises):

- To kill himself at least once a day

- To treat Ianto (and everyone else) better than ever before

- To go into life threatening situations alone wherever possible

- To _try_ and forgive himself, even if it takes a million years

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**A/N - Hope you liked my story - it was my first one that was more than a oneshot so please review :)**

**If theres anything you're confused about in the story, why don't you drop me a message and I'll do my best to explain it.**

**all the best - fi3fi3**


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